To engage youth in finding innovative solutions to youth employment in Egypt, the ERF and the World Bank launched the first “Youth Essay Competition.” The competition addressed youth unemployment in Egypt, particularly focusing on youth training and job creation.

It was open to all Egyptians up to the age of 29, and invited applicants to submit a 2,500 word solution-based essay (in Arabic or English). 115 candidates submitted their essays, which were evaluated by a technical refereeing committee based on relevant evaluation criteria. The top ten finalists were invited to present their essays in an award event in January 2017 in Cairo, Egypt.

The panelists at the event evaluated the ten finalists based on the overall quality of their submissions, taking into consideration presentation skills and the feasibility and conviction of their recommendations. Based on the panelists’ judgement, the first five winners received a monetary award.